Apparatus for measuring phase differences and for analogous purposes



Nov. 2, 1943. M M LEVY; 2,333,322 APPARATUS FOR MEASURING PHASE DIFFERENCES AND FOR ANALOGOUS PURPOSES Filed Oct. 30. 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet '1 INVEN TOR. MAUR/cf A40/.5f fl/y' Nov. 2, 1943. M. M. LEVY APPARATUS FOR MEASURING PHASE DIFFERENCES AND FOR ANALOGOUS PURPOSES Filed Oct. 30, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 vkw , usm, S.

ma? y n IN VEN TOR. MAUR/cf Afa/.sf Evy BY I e E .u 0

' ATTaRNEY Patented Nov. 2, i943 APPARATUS soa MsAsUmNGeaassmr-f reassess AND Foa ANALoGorJs Lrusia .Y

)PUSES Maurice Moise' Levy, London`,'Engla1d, assigner New llorlrs N; Y.

' to linten-national 'Standard Electr seminarios october so, 194i, ,semi No. 417,173

En France February 22, 1940 'l ecieims. (c1/1724245) .v

The present invention relates to ,apparatus for measuring phase dierences.

In accordance with a feature or the invention phase differences may be automatically measured by causing a slight variation in frequency. between the two waves under considerationby modulating either one or both of them and by observing on a cathode-ray oscillograph the minimum or maximum position of the lenvelope of the resultant of the two waves, the sweep cir'- cuit of the oscillograph being controlled by the adjusted difference in frequency between the two waves. Calibration may be made experimentally.

The invention will be disclosed in the following specification by making reference to an example of an embodiment described in connection with the drawings included herewith, in which:

Fig. speciication;

Fig. 2 represents an image obtained on the cathode-ray oscillograpm' Fig. S represents a schematic assembly of an embodiment;

Figs. l and 5 represent two kinds oi curves appearing on the cathode-ray oscillograph; and

Fig. 6 represents a schematic assembly of an embodiment as applied to measuring distance by determining the phase difference between an emitted 'Wave and its reiection.

Referring to Fig. "i, vector r E1=OA represents the first voltage, and' the vector which represents the instantaneous two vectors E1 and Ez.

If p is varied, the vector AB rotates with respect to OA about the point A in such a Way ythat the angle between the vectors l represents a diagram employed in the sum of the 7 It Will :beseerijtha't if gb varies progressively, Whether increasing" or decreasing, the :vector` p "UBQ will pass alternativelyv through:v -a rminimum DB1 Y and through amaximum lCB2-.'11 Y f Inorder to determine the phase displacement p the .following two operations mustsbe` performed: ,f

The frequency of one of4 the voltagesmay be changed a'small and known amount with reference, to thefrequencyoi both waves: as for exf ample bythe modulation, so that-,two voltages corresponding vwith the two original voltages Whose phase difference qs is tobe determined, may then be Written as:

e1 sin (mi e2 sin (ri-Awake These twovoltages rnay bey considered as of the same frequency wand having a phase difference (qs- Awt) variable with'tiine,`

The resultant ofv these two voltages is applied to one pair'o deection plateson apathetic-ray oscillograph, and a sweepl circuit frequency Aw is applied to the other pair of deflection plates.

The resultant of these two vvoltages is a minimum for, i

Cil

Aat=i @K951i if and a maximum for' l where K is"cexistant.' 1

On the cathode-ray tube an oscillation` having an envelope representing the variations in amplitde of the resultant as a function of the sweep circuit speed Amt may be observed. For a particular value of y ziet this envelope willhave a 40 inmifmunn,v and 'for vanother value' a irrlaxiinuin.Y

vThe position vof'theminimum or the maximum is acriterionfor determining the phasedis'placa ment am; A

'The tube'v may be graduated-along ythe horizontal axis iin degrees of phase displacement.

Fig. "2 `represen'ts a typical path ofl the oscillographic spot. The amplitude ofthe Wave trace 'I representsfthe variation :in amplitude' of the resultant of the vtwo voltages, 'Whichfaswwill be clearI froifnhA the aboveV- analysisvaries between a is always representative of The geometric lomin'imurn, lrid maximumv value'the position `of` either o vvlich'relative to a datum point on the horizontal airis will determiney the' "phase'f displacement angles.' VIt lWill alsobeseen1tlat if the .'tWo voltages are of such relative magnitudes that the resultant is not zero for any phase difference, then the minimum amplitude of the wave trace will not at any time meet the horizontal axis. Since the phase difference varies between and 360 degrees symmetrical traces will appear above and below the horizontal line.

An example of a circuit to which features of the invention may be applied is represented in Figs. 3 and 6.

The voltages e1 and e2 are applied, respectively, to two modulators M1 and Mz.. These modulators are each fed equally by an oscillator 01 for M1 and O2 for Mz.

There is a slight difference in frequency M1 between the frequencies f1 andl f1+Af1 of oscillators 01 and O2,- respectively, which will be referred to hereinafter. A

Following each modulator a selective amplier (A1 and A2) is included in the circuit in order to isolate the beat frequency, preferably the beat of the lowest frequency, that is, the lower side frequency for transmission from the amplifier. The output voltages of these two ampliers are applied to an amplier Ao which in turn supplies the resultant complex wave representing these two voltages. This resultant is then applied to aV pair of oscillograph deflection plates (preferably the `paircontrolling vertical deflection).

The voltages of the two oscillators O1 and O2 are applied each equally to a selective modulator M0 which detects the beat frequencies of the two oscillators.. Following this modulator a time-base circuit B (producing saw teeth for example) is included in the circuit and synchronizedwith the beat frequencies of the two oscillators.

The timebase circuit preferably controlslhorizontal deflection of the cathode-ray spot.

Let ,f be the frequency of the voltages e1 and e2 and f1 and f1+Af1 be the frequencies of the local oscillators O1 and O2.

The sweep circuit frequency is Af1.

The following components of frequencies are isolated at the respective outputs of the modulators M1 and Mz:

with the help of the selective amplifiers A1 and A2.

The amplifier Ao isolates the resultant complex wave consisting of the two components cf frequencies (f-f1) and. (f-f1) -Af1. The amplitude of this resultant is modulated at the frequency Afi.

On the cathode-ray tube a curve appears as set forth above, having a minimum, characteristic of the difference in phase between the two voltages e1 and e2. This phase difference may be read off the face of the tube on a pre-graduated scale.

In order to calibrate the apparatus two voltages e1 and ez in phase with each other may be, for example, applied to the cathode-ray tube, and the phase displacements produced by the amplifiers A1 and Az so varied that the maximum or minimum of the envelope will be located in correct position or in a known position.

In order to increase accuracy the sensitivity of the amplifiers A1 and A2 may be varied to make the minimum practically nothing, and the maximum possible voltage should be applied to the tube. An envelope will then be obtained having a point of reversal more sharply defined the greater the sensitivity of the amplifiers.

Fig. 4 represents a curve on the oscillograph under these conditions. The relative Sensitivity of the amplifiers A1 and Az is assumed to have been so adjusted that the resultant of the components of frequencies (f-fi) and (f-f.1)-Af1 reaches zero once in each cycle of frequency Afi and moreover the sensitivity of the amplifiers is so great that a'voltage suflicient to deflect the spot to its maximum extent will be applied to 'the vertical' deflecting plates before the resultant reaches a maximum. In this manner the point of amplitude of the trace will meet the horizontal datum line and will be sharply dened by flanking portions of steep curvature as shown in Fig. 4.

In order to increase the readability of the envelope curve, the envelope of the resultant may simply be rectied by a rectier Do located after the amplier Ao. A curve generally of the shape shown in Fig. 5 will then be obtained since the rectifier Du will have the effect of cutting out the resultant over of each cycle of frequency Afl.

Fig. 6 represents a circuit of the general character indicated for automatically determining the phase displacement between two 48 megacycle voltages.

The oscillators O1 and Oz of Fig. 3 may each be quartz crystal oscillators, the former having a frequency of 15 megacycles and including a frequency-tripling device D1, and the other having a frequency of 15.1 megacycles and cooperating with a frequency-tripling device D2. The frequencies thus obtained are effectively 45 and 45.3 megacycles and may be applied to the modulators M1 and Mz and to the modulator Mo.

At the output end of the selective amplier A1 a frequency of 3 megacycles is obtained, and at the output end of the selective lamplifier Az a frequency of 3.3 megacycles.

The delay and attenuation lines L1 and Ic permit appropriate compensation to be made for the phase displacement and amplification in the two amplifiers A1 and'Az.

The time-base circuit B controlled by the modulator Mu, which in turn is fed partly by the oscillator O1 at 45 mc. and the oscillator O2 at 45.3 mc. operates at a frequency of .3 mc. and is applied to the oscillograph OSC.

The resultant frequency of 3 and 3.3 mc., so applied by the circuit vL1 and In across an amplier A: in series with a mixing rectifier R, may apply a resultant of 0.3 mc. to the other deection plates of the oscillograph.

Although the invention has been described in connection with the above indicated embodiments, it is clear that it is not tobe limited thereto and that applications of the present invention are not restrained merely to phase measurement, but may include any apparatus in which a phase measurement is to be used. j

The present invention may, for example, be

employed for the measurement of the absolute altitude of an airplane located in the field of a transmitter by determining-the phase displacement between waves reflected .by the airplane and picked up by two receiving antennas and spaced apart one from the other, or for measuring the distance by determining the phase displacement between a wave directed towardv the airplane andthe wave it reflects back to the receiver, which may, for example, be located in the vicinity of the transmitter. 'I'he transmitted wave may or may not be modulated, and.

in the case where the wave is modulated, the phase displacement of themodulated waves may be measured. i

determined difi'erence of frequency, a :first modulator for modulating one of said given waves in accordance with one of said local source waves,

a second modulator for modulating the other of said given waves in accordance with the other of said local source waves, means for producing a beat wave of frequency equal to the dierence between the frequencies of said locai source waves, a cathode ray oscillograph having a beamspot-indicating screen and two beam defiecting means, one for deecting the cathode ray beam in a direction at right angles to that of the other, means for transmitting a deecting wave to a rst one of said beam deecting means in response to the beat wave from said beat producing means, and means for selectively transmitting to the second of said beam deecting means a. complex wave including as components thereof the producing means and for lower side frequency wave from the output of each said modulator. v

2. In a system according to claim 1, the combination in which said means for transmitting a deiiecting wave to said rst deflecting means, includes means for producing a saw tooth wave in response to the beat wave from said beat wave transmitting said saw tooth wave to said first deilecting means.

3. In a system according to claim 1, rectifying means responsive to said complex wave for preventing the transmission to said second deflecting means, of that part 'of said complex wave located on one side of the zero axis of said wave.

4. In a system according to claim 1, the combination in which each of said two local sources of waves includes a crystal controlled oscillator and means for multiplying the frequency. of the output wave of said oscillator, each said .fre-

quency multiplying means having its output` coupled to one of said modulators.

MAURICE MOISE LEVY 

